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The Unique Historical Value of 
the Book of Jonah 





The Unique Historical 
Value of the Book 
of Jonah 


‘By 


W. C. STEVENS 
Author of ‘“The Book of Daniel,’’ etc. 
Principal, The Midland Bible School, Shenandoah, Ia. 
For Training a Bible-teaching and Missionary Ministry. 





Nsw Yorx CHICAGO 


Fleming H. Revell Company 


LONDON AND EDINBURGH 


Copyright, 1924, by 
FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY 


New York: 158 Fifth Avenue 
Chicago: 17 North Wabash Ave. 
London: 21 Paternoster Square 
Edinburgh: 75 Princes Street 


FOREWORD 


The title of this volume excites curi- 
osity. That the Book of Jonah contains 
lessons of exceptional smritual value is 
recognized by all the great household of 
faith. But that it has historical value, not 
to speak of ‘‘ unique historical value,’’ is 
not likely to suggest itself even to the 
spiritually minded. Wherein does that 
quality lie? Not in the number or magni- 
tude of the events narrated, nor in the 
influence exerted thereby upon the des- 
tinies of mankind. Those events were hap- 
penings in but a brief part of the life of a 
single obscure individual, all of which may 
easily have taken place within the period 
of a few months. Nor does it lie in the 
character of those happenings, according 
to the standards whereby the value of his- 
torical events is ordinarily estimated. 
In any such view of Jonah its historical 
value would be almost mil. In what then 
does it lie? Let the reading of this little 
volume supply the answer, which to one 
reader at least has been found both satis- 
fying to the heart and illuminating to the 
mind. 

The author poneR tS view the true cri- 


2 FOREWORD 


terion of historical values, and sets forth 
the sound principles which should govern 
the pursuit of knowledge in all its many 
departments. Tested by that criterion, 
and examined according to those princi- 
ples, the incidents recorded in the Book of 
Jonah are found to be related not only to 
the entire scheme of creation, old and new, 
but also to the totality of historical de- 
velopments on earth. 

The Bible itself is four-fifths history. 
And Bible history is the touchstone, as 
well as the interpreter, of all history. In 
the little Book of Jonah are to be found 
the principles which control in all history. 
These include: God’s Presence in history; 
His government in all human affairs, and 
how it is exercised; His purposes in His 
dealings with nations, as well as with in- 
dividuals; Israel’s relation to the nations 
as the servant of Jehovah; and God’s pro- 
bationary dealings with the nations. 

The development of the theme leads on 
to a worthy climax; and those who rejoice 
when Christ is exalted will find special 
satisfaction in the closing pages of the 
book. Calvary was effective from the be- 
ginning of time. God’s purposes center in 
the Cross. The events of history, from 
the greatest to the most trivial, are intel- 
ligible only when viewed in its serene and 


FOREWORD 3 


golden light. The Cross was ‘‘ the end ’”’ 
for which all ‘‘ the ages’’ were created. 
Where the Cross stands in relation to the 
ages, as declared in Hebrews 9: 24 (R. V.), 
is a matter that lies far beyond the reach 
of the natural understanding. Time it- 
self, its laws and sequences, its relation to 
space, matter, and motion, are an inscru- 
table mystery. Some in the darkness of 
nature are stumbling towards the solu- 
tion, though yet at astronomical distances 
from it, as in the theory of ‘‘ relativity ’”’ 
commonly associated with the name of the 
Jewish philosopher, Einstein. But in the 
light of the Cross we may draw near to it. 
It is a satisfaction to find in its proper 
dispensational position ‘‘ the gospel of 
the kingdom,’’ which is sadly dislocated 
in some of the dispensational systems of 
teaching now current. 
Puitip Mavro. 
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. 


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Contents 


INTRODUCTORY 


JONAH’S CREDENTIALS OF HISTORICITY, ETC. 


HISTORICAL VALUE RELATIVE TO ‘ahi Con- 
TRASTED POSITIONS ; i 


PART ONE. FUNDAMENTAL 


ScRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES FUNDAMENTAL TO 
THE ACQUISITION OF ALL TRUE 
KNOWLEDGE 

NECESSARY STEPS UNDER aptern ee Gone 
ANCE INTO TRUE KNOWLEDGE A 


PART TWO. EXPOSITORY 


THE Drama, IN Four Acts 
GOLDEN THREADS oF UNIVERSAL “History: 
I. The Universal Personal Presence 
of God in History 
II. The Universal Personal Gaver 
ment of God in History . 
III. The Unfailing Compassion of God 
Toward all His Creatures 
IV. The Identification of the Son of 
God as the Arbiter of all 
Human History ‘ 
V. The Relation of Israel eae 
Christ to Gentile Nations 
VI. The Probationary Relation of 
God to Nations and eee 
through Jesus Christ 


VII. ‘The Sign of the Prophet Jonas” 


PAGE 


5 


7 


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79 


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THE UNIQUE HISTORICAL 
VALUE OF 
THE BOOK OF JONAH 


INTRODUCTORY 


In the discussion of this subject there 
exists no occasion to make investigation 
into the original credentials of Jonah him- 
self or of the book bearing his name. 

The historicity of Jonah and of the facts 
of the book is sufficiently attested by the 
few references found in the Old and New 
Testaments. In II Kings 14:25 certain 
political achievements distinguishing the 
reign of Jeroboam II are declared to be 
‘¢ according to the word of the Lord God 
of Israel, which He spake by the hand of 
His servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the 
prophet, which was of Gath-hepher.”’ The 
identity of this prophet with that of the 
book of Jonah is unmistakable, and to chal- 
lenge the historicity of the latter would 
imply a questioning of the authenticity of 

5 


6 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


the Scripture just cited. To do that would 
be tantamount to a questioning of the au- 
thenticity of any and of all the Old Testa- 
ment history. The New Testament also 
places beyond question the historicity of 
Jonah himself and of the main facts re- 
corded in his book. This guaranty is the 
stronger because the Lord Jesus Christ 
quotes those facts in full admission of 
their historicity, and His quotations are 
recorded by two of the Gospel writers,— 
Matthew and Luke,—who wrote entirely 
independently of each other as to their 
vouchers. Matthew quotes Jesus as say- 
ing, ‘‘ Jonas was three days and three 
nights in the whale’s belly,’’ and also, 
‘¢ They—the Ninevites—repented at the 
preaching of Jonas ’’ (12:40, 41). Luke 
quotes Jesus as saying, ‘‘ Jonas was a sign 
unto the Ninevites,’’ and also, ‘‘ They— 
the Ninevites—repented at the preaching 
of Jonas?) (11230732); 

To challenge the historicity of Jonah or 
of his book in its salient facts, would be an 
act of calling in question at this late date 
the authenticity, not only of the Old Testa- 
ment record and so of all Old Testament 
records, but also of the records of two 


THE BOOK OF JONAH T 


New Testament narrators and so of all 
New Testament narrative. 

These New Testament records are war- 
rants for the authenticity also of the book 
of Jonah. The affidavit of original au- 
thorship and of unquestionable reliability 
is by these New Testament records affixed 
to the book of Jonah. In like manner and 
in like degree both the canonicity and the 
inspiration of the book are attested. 

Investigation, therefore, into the orig- 
inal credentials of the book of Jonah, as a 
legitimate member of the inspired canon 
of the Old Testament Scriptures, is un- 
called for while the authenticity of the 
records of our Lord’s words as given by 
Matthew and Luke is accepted. 

Coming closer to the subject of the his- 
torical value of the book of Jonah, it is to 
be admitted that this ancient book—strik- 
ing as its outstanding facts are—is of com- 
paratively little value merely as an addi- 
tion to the fund of historical knowledge. 
There are even smaller portions of Old 
Testament literature which serve that pur- 
pose far beyond the contribution made by 
this book. As an instance in confirmation 
of this statement, take Genesis 14 as an 


8 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


important historical record. Or, as a pro- 
phetical record of later history now long 
ago fulfilled, take Jeremiah 25. Moreover, 
there have been in modern times archeo- 
logical ‘‘ finds ’’ which add more material, 
directly or indirectly, to the sum of essen- 
tial historical knowledge than does the 
book of Jonah. From what standpoint, 
then, is high historical value to be claimed 
for the book of Jonah? 

The answer to this question springs 
from an important postulate regarding 
the value of the Bible in general—of which 
the book of Jonah is an integral member 
—in relation to all human knowledge, and 
especially historical knowledge. It is true 
of the Bible in general, that it is by no 
means a systematic and complete com- 
pendium of universal knowledge. What 
was true of the Gospel of John, as a his- 
tory of Jesus of Nazareth (John 21: 25), is 
equally true of the actual information 
given by the whole Bible in proportion to 
the sum of all facts in the different realms 
of human knowledge. But this is to be postu- 
lated of the Bible in its relation to universal 
knowledge: apart from its pages as the 
key, all true knowledge remains locked to 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 9 


man’s entrance; apart from the Bible as 
the light, no path of true knowledge is dis- 
tinguishable to man; apart from the Bible 
as the guide, the spheres of universal 
knowledge are undiscoverable to mortal 
man; apart from the Bible as the inter- 
preter, the mysteries of true knowledge re- 
main concealed in insolvable parables. 
Moreover, there is a law in the realm of 
learning which gives to knowledge of 
whatsoever sort its true foundation and 
its wholesome issues; whereas, knowledge 
otherwise acquired issues from the false 
and polluting fountain of that wisdom 
which Satan offered our first parents in 
contempt of God’s gift and of His glory. 
The law of all true knowledge in whatso- 
ever sphere—physical, mental, moral, or 
spiritual—is this: That knowledge rightly 
so called must be obtained according to 
Seriptural revelation and guidance. The 
reason for this requirement is that the end 
of all true knowledge is, not merely the ac- 
quisition of facts and of the human phi- 
losophy of the same, but such understand- 
ing of facts as shall advance the learner 
in the knowledge of God, strengthen his 
faith in God, and deepen his reverence and 


10 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


love for God. It is in this respect that 
Jonah as a part of the Bible serves in the 
way of historical value, and it is from this 
standpoint that its importance to us his- 
torically is to be studied. 

So far from being a digression from the 
subject of this discussion, it will prove to 
be a further strengthening of the stand- 
point of discussion already taken, to set 
forth somewhat at length some principles 
which the Scriptures reveal as necessary 
truths fundamental to the acquisition of 
true knowledge, and some essential steps 
of a Scriptural guidance into such knowl- 
edge. Such presentation will now be 
made. 


PART ONE 
FUNDAMENTALS 


I. Some PrrincIPLES REVEALED BY THE 
BIBLE AS NECESSARY ''RUTHS FUNDAMENTAL 
To THE Acquisition oF TRUE KNOWLEDGE. 

1. God created man in His own image 
and likeness. 

It is here to be noted that the Bible 
teaches that Christ the Son is the original 
image and likeness of God. See II Cor. 
4:4, Col. 1:15 and Heb. 1:3. This shows 
that the counsel of the triune God, re- 
corded in Gen. 1:26, 27, was to create man 
in Christ the Son—who from eternity is 
the inward correspondence to the Father 
and the outward manifestation of Him—so 
that man might participate in these func- 
tions in relation to God. By creation, 
then, man was qualified to commune with 
God spiritually and mentally; to know God 
and to understand Him; to be taught by 
Him and to trace Him in His works and 
ways; to bear witness of Him and to repre- 
sent Him to others. The right use of this 
endowment was the first condition of ac- 
quiring true knowledge. While man’s fall 
meant the loss of membership in Christ 


12 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


and the loss of this endowment, yet re- 
demption provided that, ‘‘If any man be 
in Christ, he is a new creature ’’ (creation, 
IT Cor. 5:17), ‘‘ created in Christ Jesus ”’ 
(Eph. 2:10) and so restored to those lost 
functions in relation to God. 

2. All the realm of heaven and earth 
was thrown wide open to man as a sphere 
of human knowledge and understanding. 

By the powers originally and miracu- 
lously conferred upon him by the Creator, 
man could understand the truths of divine 
thought which are manifested in the phys- 
ical and creaturely universe. As Mary 
Somerville said in effect: ‘‘ The formulae, 
which condense into a few symbols the im- 
mutable laws of the universe, rest upon a 
few fundamental axioms which have eter- 
nally existed in God, and which He im- 
planted in man’s breast and mind when 
He created him in His own image and 
likeness.”’ 

By original miraculous endowment man 
was able intuitively to discern and ac- 
curately to denominate the thoughts and 
designs of the Creator in all kinds of His 
creatures (Gen. 2:19, 20). Although this 
wonderful gift also was lost by the fall, 
yet it will be perfectly restored when 
‘‘ that which is perfect is come,’’ when 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 13 


‘‘we shall know as we are known,’’ 
namely, by direct discernment. Even now 
through regeneration and the sanctifica- 
tion of our natures God’s child is endowed 
with a supernatural function of under- 
standing: ‘‘ By faith we understand.’’ 
It should not, therefore, be surprising that 
an impassable chasm lies between thor- 
oughly spiritual believers and unbelievers 
in point of discernment of the truth in 
scientific lines, as well as in those lines 
which are purely spiritual. God’s truth in 
any sphere will find ready entrance to the 
heart and mind of His children, while the 
unregenerate remain blind to the same. 
He that is spiritual discerns God’s truth 
where the natural mind discerns it not. 

3. God’s Son is not only Creator but 
also Upholder of all nature in its laws and 
processes. 

The Bible richly describes nature’s laws 
and processes as servants fulfilling God’s 
commands, as His very thoughts in swift 
activity and vivid manifestation. Of 
Christ it is said, ‘‘ By him all things con- 
sist,’’ that is, are sustained,—by His pres- 
ence, volition and action. The guidance of 
Scripture is intended to keep the pursuit 


14 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


of natural science in continual recollection 
of the presence and working of God 
through Jesus Christ. Otherwise true 
science is missed and science falsely so 
called is the result. 

4. The material universe, created and 
continually upheld by God in Christ, ex- 
ists alone for His pleasure. 

‘Thou hast created all things, and for 
thy pleasure they are (exist) and were 
ereated.’’ This leaves the door wide open 
for the miraculous at any time. Nothing 
in creation is mechanically immutable. 
The believer will respond intelligently to 
God in special as well as in ordinary provi- 
dences. Indeed, to the eye of faith—the 
eye of true knowledge—life and its sur- 
roundings become a ceaseless, ever-vary- 
ing, charming illustration of miracle. 
‘¢Your heavenly Father feedeth them,’’ 
‘‘the fowls of the air.’? ‘‘If God so 
clothe the grass of the field.’’ ‘‘ One of 
them (two sparrows) shall not fall to the 
ground without your Father. But the 
very hairs of your head are all numbered.’’ 
These jewels of light from God’s heart 
throw a charm over sciences cumbrously 
and darkly called Anatomy, Physiology, 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 15 


Ornithology, Botany. What loss of truth 
as well as of charm is entailed through 
failure to pursue such sciences in continual 
touch with the Father and His Son under 
Scriptural revelation and guidance! 

5. The created universe is the first vol- 
ume of written divine revelation, reveal- 
ing God in His attributes and operations. 

‘<The invisible things of him from the 
creation of the world are clearly seen, 
being understood by the things that are 
made, even his eternal power and God- 
head ’”? (Rom. 1:20). From the beginning 
the things visible have been parables of 
the divine being and nature, the original 
outward vehicle of revelation designed 
thoroughly to furnish the man of God unto 
rich understanding of and co-working with 
his God. This was God’s autographic 
Bible. ‘‘ Nature Study ’’ at the first meant 
face to face communion with God, and 
even now nature study under Scriptural 
guidance will constantly lead the student 
through nature to nature’s God and to his 
own God. 

6. Over the more immediate part of 
creation God gave man dominion under 
Christ Jesus. 


16 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


Having committed all things to the Son 
as ‘‘ Lord God,’’ the Father God gave 
man this high stewardship only in and for 
the Lord God. The most intimate, loving 
and intelligent partnership was needed 
and actually existed between Adam and 
Christ with respect to the earthly estate, 
by virtue of which man was able loyally, 
intelligently and capably to conduct earthly 
dominion in harmony with universal well- 
being and to the glory of God. 

7. This dominion is not lost beyond re- 
covery by the fall. 

By the cross, redemption of man’s soul 
and of his dominion has been accom- 
plished. The fact expressed by the words, 
‘‘The Lamb slain from the foundation of 
the world,’’ reveals that ‘‘ Christianity 
was operative in Heaven before Christ 
became incarnate on earth,’’ yea, before 
time began. Universal creation—physical 
and human—heads up in the incarnation 
of the Son of God in physical and human 
nature. The incarnation of the Son of 
God is the crown of the Creator’s universal 
miracle; and the mystery of redemption is 
the secret and the solution of creation. 
Nothing but the light of the cross discloses 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 17 


to man the truths of all nature, and the 
universe needs to be explored in the light 
of redeeming love or a science falsely so 
called must result. 

8. Man originally required, and he now 
requires, the Holy Spirit to open his mind 
to all things of knowledge in their real 
truth. 

The Saviour’s promise that the Spirit 
should lead into all truth applies to scien- 
tific truth as well as to spiritual. Without 
His revelation knowledge is in form only 
and is in falsehood really; for nature is an 
inscrutable parable and creation a hopeless 
enigma to the spiritually unenlightened. 
To the inquiring believer only is it given 
to know the mysteries of this part of the 
kingdom of God. To ‘‘ them that are 
without,’’ who hold aloof without care for 
divine revelation, these things all remain 
in parables, in impenetrable mystery. 

9. The practical end in God’s mind to 
the acquisition of knowledge, as well as of 
baser treasure, is to spread divine light 
and truth everywhere. 

Science to-day commonly tends to neu- 
tralize, if not to paralyze, evangelistic ac- 
tivities; whereas the pursuit of scientific 


18 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


knowledge under Scriptural light will 
kindle missionary fire, impart missionary 
ability and prompt missionary consecra- 
tion, with the result that Gospel founda- 
tions become laid where Christ was not 
named. 

In obedience of heart and mind to such 
necessary truths as the foregoing must the 
pursuit of true knowledge in whatsoever 
branch be conducted. Thus only will be 
gained that knowledge which furthers ac- 
quaintance and fellowship with God, pro- 
motes spiritual intelligence, intensifies 
spiritual power, inflames and supports 
Gospel zeal and activity. The pursuit of 
knowledge otherwise will. cause one to 
grow more and more secular in mind, pow- 
erless and empty religiously, bewildered 
in faith, indifferent to human salvation. 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 19 


SoME NECESSARY STEPS OF SCRIPTURAL 
GUIDANCE INTO TRUE KNOWLEDGE. 

1. Craving on man’s part for universal 
knowledge is by creation innate, impera- 
tive, God-given; and it should be respected, 
welcomed, stimulated, satisfied. By regen- 
eration especially is craving for knowledge 
awakened, and that, the knowledge which 
is after a godly sort. But Satan crouches 
before every such new-born intellect to 
poison and destroy; and it is impossible to 
keep the heart healthy while the intellect 
is being poisoned. The Christian’s mind 
needs to be guarded against tainted litera- 
ture, and it really needs more than merely 
harmless and neutral pabulum. Any sub- 
ject of knowledge is made life-giving to 
soul and mind only through God’s relation 
to that subject and through His thought 
in it; this the Bible alone reveals. The 
Bible, therefore, should be made, at the 
first step and at every step into knowledge, 
the lamp to the feet and the light to the 
path. God’s child especially cannot be 
satisfied and blessed in any subject of 
knowledge apart from the divine light 
which the Bible throws upon that subject. 

2. Such is the correlation between God’s 


20 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


Word and His works that the explorer of 
God’s works needs His Word to discern 
their hidden truths, while, in turn, the true 
understanding of His works more richly 
illuminates His Word. There can be no 
‘¢ discrepancies ’? between the Word and 
the works of God apparent to any but to 
‘¢men who see worst.’’? In the nature of 
the case, then, the prosecution of science 
in correlation with revelation will alone 
serve to nourish faith, to deepen rever- 
ence, to enrich communion with God, and 
to couple humbleness of spirit with lofti- 
ness of intellect. : 

3. The Spirit of truth being the same in 
illuminating presence in both hemispheres 
of truth,—the spiritual and the scientific,— 
the proper prosecution of scientific knowl- 
edge in any direction calls for, and for 
success depends upon, prayer for the Holy 
Spirit’s illumination and guidance, as 
much as does the pursuit of spiritual 
knowledge. The Holy Spirit, being the 
divine executive in creation and in provi- 
dence, waits to guide the believing mind in 
all lines of science, and the Word inspired 
by Him is the authority on all scientific 
truths. 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 21 


4. It is necessary to pursue knowledge 
under Scriptural revelation and guidance 
in order to understand and to feel our in- 
timate fellowship with creation in its 
present suffering state and in its pros- 
pect of ultimate restoration through Christ 
in common with the children of God. 
‘‘ The earnest expectation of the creature 
(creation) waiteth for the manifestation of 
the (glorified) sons of God (at Christ’s 
return). Because the creature itself shall 
be delivered from the bondage of corrup- 
tion into the glorious liberty of the chil- 
dren of God ’’ (Rom. 8:19, 21). The Bible 
guides the student in scientific research 
through the spheres and among the deni- 
zens of creation in deepest fellow-feeling 
under the burden of a common mortality 
and under the inviting prospect of a com- 
mon ‘‘ glorious liberty.’’ Hence the study 
of any human science under Bible guid- 
ance and light will detect ever afresh the 
need of the Saviour’s return and will 
prompt the fervent ery, ‘‘ Come, Lord 
Jesus, come quickly! ’’ 

5. ‘Through faith we understand.’’ 
Only by taking believing heed to the testi- 

mony of God’s Word relating to any and 


22 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


every branch of knowledge can the truths 
in such paths be perceived and enjoyed. 
‘¢ Through faith we understand,’’ that is, 
have the real science of anything. This is 
the key to true intelligence and certainty 
in relation to all truths,—physical, moral, 
spiritual. Under Bible guidance and light 
the widest research is invited and becomes 
most inviting; and such research will ever 
strengthen faith and deepen piety, while 
humbling scientific pride and ‘‘ casting 
down imaginations and every high thing 
that exalteth itself against the knowledge 
of God.”? 


The foregoing discussion is especially 
applicable to the science of history. The 
Bible in literary respect is mostly histori- 
cal, being made up, to the extent of four- 
fifths, of historical material either as rec- 
ords of history past or as prophecies of 
history to come. This indicates that God 
regards history as the noblest realm of 
human inquiry. But by the Bible the mys- 
teries of history are unlocked as only 
Christ, the Architect of all human history, 
has the wisdom and the prescience to 
do it. 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 23 


Although Biblical history embraces rec- 
ords of mankind down only to about four 
hundred years before Christ, yet the Bible 
gives the keys of interpretation to all his- 
tory without which no man can unlock the 
secrets of one day or of one event. It 
would seem incredible that any one, with 
the Bible at hand, should study or write 
history—least of all in any philosophical 
or scientific way—without the guidance of 
the Biblical principles of solution. Yet, 
where is the history in use to-day which is 
written as if there were such a book as the 
Bible or such a person everywhere im- 
manent and controlling in history as the 
Son of God to whom the Father has com- 
mitted all things? ‘‘ The infidelity of some 
distinguished historians proves the fruit- 
lessness of bringing the finest powers of 
mind to such a study, without subjection 
to God. Humble accordance with the 
Spirit of truth is incomparably to be pre- 
ferred to independence of judgment, how- 
ever elevated by genius above the common 
level.’’ 

Tn obedience to the foregoing necessary 
truths and practical steps fundamental to 
the acquisition of all true knowledge, we 


24 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


are now to open the book of Jonah, with 
the expectation, not so much of acquiring 
new stores of historical knowledge, as of 
gaining further light upon the counsels 
and the workings of the living God in the 
conditions and course of all earthly his- 
tory. Our object is not historical erudi- 
tion but spiritual insight; our end is not 
knowledge which only puffeth up but fur- 
ther qualification to enjoy, to serve and to 
glorify our great God and Saviour Jesus 
Christ. 


PART TWO 
HXPOSITORY 


The story of Jonah is unique even among 
Bible stories, although so simple in narra- 
tion. It was in the ninth century before 
Christ that Jonah fulfilled a distinguished 
career as the voice of God for the times. 
Son of Amittai—a man otherwise un- 
known—Jonah was born in Gath-hepher, 
an ancient town among the hills of Galilee 
on the border of Zebulon, about two miles 
from Nazareth, the home town of Jesus. 
His life fell in times troublous and disas- 
trous to his beloved country; for the As- 
syrians in sweeping over western Asia 
pushed far back the boundaries and pos- 
sessions of Israel from the east and from 
the north. But God gave Jonah messages 
of promise for better days, which came to 
pass during the reign of the capable but 
wicked king, Jeroboam II. Assyria was 
gaining imperial extension through ruth- 
less conquest, and Nineveh loomed high as 
the rival mistress of the world. Here the 
story of Jonah begins. This story is re- 
corded in picturesque and dramatic form, 
consisting of four parts. 


26 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


THEr Drama 
Act One. Jonah in Flight 

The Lord God called upon Jonah to 
‘¢ v9 to Nineveh, that great city, and cry 
against it,’? in His own name; ‘‘ for,’’ said 
He, ‘‘ their wickedness is come up before 
me’? (1:2). Such a commission was a 
stern test upon even an _ experienced 
prophet’s courage. Yet apparently it was 
not fear to beard the lion in his den that 
made Jonah turn his back to the Lord and 
to his commission. It becomes evident in 
the narrative (4:2) that Jonah detected 
in the tone of the Lord’s command a mer- 
ciful concern over Nineveh rather than a 
vindictive anger; and Jonah had evidently 
spoken his mind quite frankly to the Lord 
in interviews between them over this mis- 
sion. It probably would have been very 
agreeable to Jonah to denounce the de- 
spoiler of his native land swiftly to his 
doom; but to call Nineveh to repentance, 
implying the possibility of further proba- 
tion, was a ‘‘ preaching ’’ which Jonah was 
unwilling to ‘‘ preach ’? (3:2). He there- 
fore turned his back toward Nineveh as if 
to the Lord, too, and he went post haste 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 27 


down to the Mediterranean port of Joppa 
and took ship, ‘‘to flee unto Tarshish 
from the presence of the Lord.’’ It would 
have been a sad day for Jonah if the Lord 
had been as unmerciful to him as he was 
to Nineveh. 

Suddenly there fell upon the sea a great 
hurricane, which caught the ship in such a 
tempest of wind and wave that the helpless 
boat seemed at first fairly to have broken. 
Jonah was lying fast asleep as though a 
traveler of leisure and contentment. A 
panic, however, had seized the crew of 
mingled nationalities, who loudly called 
severally upon their various gods, while 
frantically casting cargoes into the sea to 
lighten the ship that much. Almost indig- 
nantly the captain shook Jonah out of his 
deep slumber, commanding him to do his 
part in securing the help of the gods in 
this extremity. 

From the apparent deafness of the gods 
to their cries, the ship’s company super- 
stitiously drew the inference that nemesis 
was pursuing one of their number to the 
peril of all, and they resorted to the lot 
to ascertain who was the cause of this 
trouble. The lot fell upon Jonah by the 


28 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


disposal of Jehovah Himself. In answer 
to a searching question, this unknown trav- 
eler confessed that he was a Hebrew and 
a worshipper of Jehovah, from whose 
presence he was trying to flee. ‘This 
struck the greater fear into the hearts of 
these heathen mariners, who protested 
against such impiety and rebellion. 

The ship’s crew asked Jonah what they 
should do with him to propitiate Jehovah 
and to save their own lives. He plainly 
told them to east him overboard as the 
only resort. But they nobly sought by ut- 
most physical effort to land the boat 
without this extreme resort. It was, how- 
ever, all in vain, the tempest abated not, 
and it was proving to be overpowering. 
Their prayer was. turned piteously and 
importunately to Jehovah not to hold them 
guilty of innocent blood in easting Jonah 
into the sea. When the sea instantly 
ceased its agitation, these sailors were 
overawed by the manifestation of Je- 
hovah’s very presence in mercy to them, 
while in supposed judgment to Jonah; and 
they further expressed their acknowledg- 
ment of Him with reverence, sacrifice and 
Vows. 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 29 


Act Two. Jonah in the Belly of Hell 

Instantly upon sinking amidst the churn- 
ing billows of the sea Jonah was swal- 
lowed alive by a monster fish expressly 
prepared and directed by the Lord for this 
very purpose. For three days and three 
nights Jonah remained buried yet pre- 
served alive in the strange grave of this 
deep-sea creature. Jonah’s physical ex- 
perience fitly typified that of his soul. 
The recreant prophet sought the presence 
which he had endeavoured to escape. 
That Presence had compassionately at- 
tended him, and now Jonah no longer 
lulled his faithless soul to sleep as he had 
done down there in ‘‘ the sides of the 
ship.’’? The experiences and the exercises 
of those long, dark days and nights Jonah 
graphically embodied in a unique poem 
which needs no comment: 


Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the 
fish’s belly, and said, 

I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and 
he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and 
thou heardest my voice. 

For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of 
the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all 
thy billows and thy waves passed over me. 

Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look 
again toward thy holy temple, 


30 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF | 


The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the 
depths closed me round about, the weeds were 
wrapped about my head. 

I went down to the bottom of the mountains: the earth 
with her bars was about me for ever: 

Yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O 
Lord my God. 

When my soul fainted within me I remembered the 
Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into 
thine holy temple. 

They that observe lying vanities forsake their own 
mercy. But I will sacrifice unto thee with the 
voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have 
vowed. Salvation is of the Lord. 


Jonah’s prayer of confession, supplica- 
tion, consecration and triumphant faith was 
answered strikingly, as strikingly as he 
had been arrested on his fugitive course. 
‘‘ And the Lord spake unto the fish, and 
it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.’’ 


Act Three. Jonah in Nineveh 

Jonah had not dared to take up his for- 
feited commission without a further call. 
But the Lord bade him, ‘‘ Arise, go unto 
Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto 
it the preaching that I bid thee ’”’ (3:2). 
Without parley or demurring Jonah took 
his long journey to Nineveh. 

‘‘ Now Nineveh was an exceeding great 
city of three days’ journey.’’ Promptly 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 81 


upon penetrating the metropolis, the very 
first day, Jonah announced in the hearing 
of the populace the Lord’s ultimatum: 
‘¢ Vet forty days, and Nineveh shall be 
overthrown.’’ The story of Jonah’s pre- 
vious call and of its seeming grotesque 
outcome had preceded him, and the proud 
city may have made great mirth over it 
all. But now the appearing of the man in 
the streets who had passed through the 
grave alive as it were, and his startling, 
terrifying message—so positive and au- 
thoritative—moved the community with 
compelling foree. The attention of the 
throne was soon captured, and the mon- 
arch for himself at once assumed the at- 
tire and the aspect of utmost humiliation, 
confession and importunity before God. 
A. decree was issued by the king and his 
chiefs calling for universal fasting and 
prayer before God of the most drastic 
character, even requiring the animals to 
be clothed with sackcloth and deprived of 
food. The decree also called for unexcep- 
tional cessation from all evil ways and 
from all actions of violence. While 
Jonah’s ultimatum promised no amnesty 
from swift destruction under any circum- 


382 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


stances, yet these extreme steps were 
taken in the hepe and with the importu- 
nate prayer to a merciful God, that He 
would turn from His purpose of wrath 
and not require them to perish. And God 
accepted their works of repentance, and 
He turned from the intended judgment 
and saved them altogether. 


Act Four. Jonah and the Gourd 

Jonah, however, was not pleased with 
these works of the Ninevites, for they be- 
trayed already the workings of divine 
grace in their hearts, and they pointed to 
the easy possibility that Jonah’s message 
would fail of fulfillment. Then, Jonah 
had known this long-suffering, kind, leni- 
ent and forgiving Saviour too well to feel 
sure that He would mete out to Nineveh 
her deserts any more than He had as yet 
done to backslidden Israel. In his lack of 
sympathy with Him whose ‘‘ mercies are 
over all his creatures,’’ and in his chagrin 
at the probability of proving apparently 
to be a false prophet, Jonah professed to 
prefer death to living longer (just like 
any proud minister of state whose counsel 
had been disapproved), and Jonah begged 


THE BOOK OF JONAH Sh) 


the Lord to take away his life. Gently the 
Lamb of God which taketh away the sin 
of the world chided Jonah, ‘‘ Doest thou 
well to be angry? ”’ 

Somewhat uplifted from his depression, 
Jonah made a booth for himself outside 
the city on the east, and there he sat from 
day to day to see what should befall 
Nineveh. In sweet tenderness and com- 
passion the Lord caused a gourd quickly 
to grow up and throw a grateful shade 
over Jonah’s booth that he might not 
faint under his intense feelings. Jonah 
almost forgot his grief through gladness 
over the gourd. 

But this relief was of short duration, 
for the Lord had a higher purpose in 
view. A worm attacked the gourd and 
made it wither in a day under the scorch- 
ing sun. Moreover, the Lord added to 
Jonah’s distressing exposure a hot east 
wind which extremely intensified the ordi- 
nary heat that fell upon Jonah’s head, so 
that from sheer faintness he wished to 
die, and he again complained, ‘‘ It is bet- 
ter for me to die than to live.”’ 

Again that gentle chiding came to this 
true, but thoroughly human _ prophet, 


34 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


‘‘Doest thou well to be angry for the 
gourd? ’’ Jonah replied, not without a 
measure of truth, ‘‘ I do well to be angry, 
even unto death.’? The Lord does not 
contradict Jonah, but He confronts him 
with a stunning comparison and contrast. 
‘‘Thou hast had pity on the gourd,’’— 
that is, ‘‘ thou hast spared the gourd ’?’— 
‘* for which thou hast not laboured, neither 
madest it grow; which came up in a night, 
and perished in a night; and should not I 
spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein 
are more than six-score thousand persons 
that cannot discern between their right 
hand and their left hand; and also much 
cattle? ’’ 

The dramatic effect of the story is the 
more forcible for thus abruptly closing 
with an unanswered question. Surely 
‘‘ wisdom is justified of her children.’’ 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 35 


Tur Goutpen Tureaps or UNIVERSAL 
History 

This brief, picturesque drama is rich in 
striking, beautiful and permanent lessons 
of moral and spiritual character. .But 
these few inspired pages are also of im- 
mense historical value. As has been 
noted, the historical value of Jonah does 
not consist in any material and important 
contribution made by it to the sum of his- 
torical fact. The book is almost negligible 
in this respect. But the book has a rela- 
tive value which is distinctive and very 
great, and this value renders the book vir- 
tually indispensable even in the canon of 
Holy Scripture. For the book of Jonah 
places in our hands many golden threads 
which enter into the warp and the woof 
of the history of mankind throughout the 
ages. Some at least of these threads of 
which the fabric of universal earthly his- 
tory is woven will now, by the grace of 
God, be expounded from this book. 

I. The Universal Personal Presence of 
God in History. 

The basis of all religion is the fact of 
the spiritual presence of God. The core 
of religious experience is the conscious- 


36 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


ness of the divine presence. The primary 
exercise of religious duty consists of filial 
regard for the very present, though un- ~ 
seen, merciful Maker. The perfection of 
religious enjoyment is found in entire ad- 
justment to the gracious presence of the 
Most High. 

The book of Jonah pulsates with the 
truth of the presence of the Lord God,— 
always, everywhere, with everybody. And 
this is not pointed to as a new doctrine or 
as an exceptional demonstration, but it 
breaks forth as a light already and always 
shining, whether apparent, recognized and 
welcomed or not. 

It was by virtue of the signal and per- 
emptory manifestation of the Lord’s pres- 
ence that Jonah had his commission to go 
and cry against Nineveh; and it was by a 
vain effort to get away ‘‘ from the pres- 
ence of the Lord’’ (1:38), conscious to 
him and compulsory upon him, that he 
went in the opposite direction, ‘‘ down to 
Joppa,’’ and shipped for ‘‘ Tarshish from 
the presence of the Lord.’’ 

When Jonah acknowledged to the anx- 
ious mariners his religious identity he 
testified, ‘‘ 1 am an Hebrew, and I fear the 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 37 


Lord (Jehovah), the God of Heaven which 
hath made the sea and the dry land. Then 
were the men exceedingly afraid, and said 
unto him, Why hast thou done this? For 
the men knew that he had fled from the 
presence of the Lord, because he had told 
them ’’ (vss. 9, 10). 

Jonah knew that the presence of Je- 
hovah was following him in his flight and 
to his sorrow, to the sorrow also of the 
ship’s crew and passengers. It meant for 
him to go overboard in his sorrow alone 
with the Lord or for all on board to perish 
in the sea. Like a true believer in Je- 
hovah—Maker and God of land and sea— 
he yielded himself to their reluctant hands. 
The immediate calming of the sea over- 
poweringly revealed to the mariners the 
actual, the pursuing, the inescapable pres- 
ence of God Almighty. ‘‘ Then the men 
feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered 
a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made 
vows ”’ (vs. 16). 

In the fish’s belly Jonah found the di- 
vine presence most real; and there, when 
his soul fainted within him, he remem- 
bered the Lord. It was not in point of 
outward distance that he moaned, ‘‘ I am 


88 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


cast out of thy sight,’’ and it was not of 
the temple at Jerusalem that he spoke, ex- 
cepting in a figurative way, saying, ‘‘ Yet 
I will look again toward thy holy temple.’’ 
It was of most immediate local as well as 
spiritual access that he testifies, ‘‘ My 
prayers came in unto thee, into thy holy 
temple.’’ 

The conscious presence of God which 
he so deeply realized before was found by 
him to be as real all the time in far-away 
Nineveh. The never-suspended presence 
of the true God, which the idolatrous mari- 
ners had forgotten—if they had ever be- 
fore realized it—was recalled to them and 
impressed upon them by contact with 
Jonah. So likewise, the Assyrian capital 
—from the proud monarch himself to even 
the dumb animals (after their fashion)— 
was gripped with the consciousness of 
having to do with the supreme deity in 
His unavoidable presence. 

This bit of history—out of the life of 
one believer, out of the experience of a 
ship’s crew of heathen sailors, and out of 
a critical stage in the history of a rising 
world-power—is sufficient of itself to es- 
tablish the great and fundamental truth of 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 59 


the immanence of the living God,—always, 
everywhere, with everybody, from mighti- 
est monarch to humblest ‘‘ maidservant 
behind the mill,’’ whether separately, or in 
casual groups, or in the body of a whole 
kingdom or empire. Jonah proves the 
universal fact expressed in the language 
of another, ‘‘ Whither shall I flee from thy 
presence?—if I make my bed in hell, thou 
art there’’ (Ps. 139:7, 8). The ship’s 
crew proved that, however intercepted by 
false divinities the spiritual recognition 
and consciousness of God’s presence may 
be, yet ‘‘ If I take the wings of the morn- 
ing, and dwell in the uttermost parts of 
the sea; even there shall thy hand lead 
me, and thy right hand shall hold me.’’ 
The proudest monarch can be instantly 
startled into the confession, ‘‘ O Lord, 
thou hast searched me, and known me.— 
Thou hast beset me before and behind, 
and laid thine hand upon me.”’ 

Thus the book of Jonah, in this promi- 
nent feature of the immanence of the Lord 
God, illustrates and attests the primary 
and impressive fact of that immanence in 
all human history, whether on a larger or 
a smaller scale. 


~e 


40 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


II. The Universal Personal Government 
of God in History. 

Not less impressively than the universal 
historical fact just dwelt upen does the 
book of Jonah feature this other fact as 
of universal historical reality, namely, 
that ‘‘ The heavens do rule,’’ or that the 
living God holds perfect personal sway, 
whether in the simplest and minutest, or 
in the most complex and extended realm. 
Yet His rule is shown to be not with the 
arbitrary compulsion of despotic will or 
of sheer force, but in full accord with the 
personal liberties and characteristics with 
which He endowed all beings. 

Nothing is further from or more con- 
trary to the truth of revelation and to the 
evident fact of all history than the propo- 
sition that the earthly universe is for- 
tuitously maintained, or that it is making 
progress by some hypothetical law of the 
survival of the fittest and of the domi- 
nance of the strongest. Nothing can more 
surely shrivel the soul and dwarf the in- 
tellect than to recognize no supreme, all- 
prevailing will, purpose and control in 
earthly affairs, lesser or greater. Yet as 
damnable as the theory of impersonal 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 41 


chance in everything is the doctrine of 
fatalistic divine domination. The Moham- 
medan will cut Armenian throats by the 
score one after another while chanting the 
ascription of his acts to the immutable 
will and the ecstatic pleasure of Allah. 
In the book of Jonah,—illustrating uni- 
versal divine sway,—divine government is 
presented as constrainingly compelling, as 
winsomely imperative, at least before it 
ever becomes awfully overpowering. 

Jehovah purposed to use His beloved 
servant, the prophet Jonah, at a critical 
turning point in the history of Nineveh. 
The Lord would never have gone beyond 
graciously calling a ready and willing 
friend had Jonah at once acceded as he 
could and should have done. The Lord, 
however, took with His disobedient serv- 
ant means and ways of accomplishing 
His purpose which should prevail. In so 
doing He was still exercising only a wholly 
constraining moral government over Jonah 
rather than an arbitrary and compulsory 
one. 

And while gaining His glorious purpose 
with Jonah, God illustrated a marvellous 
superintending, providential government 


42 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


over other creatures. He appointed the 
very ship to convey Jonah on his intended 
cruise; He appointed the port of de- 
parture and the date of sailing; He or- 
ganized the crew; at the right hour and 
spot He commanded the tempest, the tu- 
multuous waves, the impending wreck. 
In a governmental sense God put Jonah 
into a sound sleep; He governed the senti- 
ments and the conduct of the mariners to 
His purpose. Whether there ever before 
was or since has been a fish equal to swal- 
lowing a man and preserving him alive 
for three days and three nights, or not, 
God ‘‘prepared’’ this particular one. 
Just as truly as an ass and her colt were 
prepared for Jesus to ride upon into Jeru- 
salem, were tied at just such a place and 
commandeered without the objection of 
the owners by the disciples of Jesus; and 
just as truly as a fish in Galilee’s lake was 
particularly led to swallow a particular 
silver coin, to be at a certain spot under 
water at a certain moment to be caught by 
Peter that tribute for him and Jesus might 
thereby be duly paid,—just so truly this 
once God had the ‘‘ great fish’’ at His 
service in swallowing Jonah, in making 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 43 


him a ‘‘ shut-in ’’ for a determined period, 
and in ejecting him, not into the sea, but 
upon dry land. 

On the vaster scale God was ruling the 
mighty rising Assyrian Empire. The king 
at Nineveh that day illustrated a funda- 
mental truth of universal history, which 
had already centuries before been coined 
into the proverb: ‘‘ The king’s heart is in 
the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of 
water: he turneth it whithersoever he 
will ?? (Proy. 21:1). In the timely decree 
which the king issued—calling his subjects 
one and all, even to the dumb beasts, to 
sackcloth, to fasting and to practical re- 
pentance—he illustrated again the opera- 
tion of universal divine government. al- 
ready for centuries epigrammatically em- 
bodied in the inspired truism, ‘‘ A divine 
sentence is in the lips of the king; his 
mouth transgresseth not in judgment ”’ 
(Prov. 16:10). 

All the Bible Padan toe the light of this 
mystery of earthly history, on the minut- 
est and on the vastest scale, in the low- 
liest and in the most exalted sphere. And 
so far from being repellent to rational 
and moral sense, it is attractive. This 


44 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


principle articulates all creaturely events 
into a symmetrical organism revealing the 
infinite intelligent design and governing 
purpose. It invites one to willing service 
of the Sovereign and to an uncompelled 
co-operation; it assures one of security 
and advantage, such as a worthy, upright — 
citizen likes to feel that he has under 
human government, municipal or national. 


HI. The Unfailing Compassion of God 
Toward All His Creatures. 

The book of Jonah vibrates with divine 
compassion. One could easily take this to 
be the chief, though unspoken, teaching of 
the book,—the teaching that God is full of 
compassion and that His tender mercies 
are over all His works. 

It was the prompting of compassion for 
Nineveh that Jonah evidently detected in 
Jehovah’s first call for him to arise, go 
and cry against that great and wicked 
city. Being himself indignant and venge- 
ful in feeling toward Nineveh for her 
wickedness and for her cruelty toward his 
beloved country, Jonah sulked, impudently 
remonstrated with the Lord God, and 
finally made the very compassionateness 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 45 


of his God his excuse for turning his back 
upon his duty and for avoiding the fur- 
ther presence of a magnanimous, long- 
suffering and tender-hearted Jehovah. 
‘‘O Lord,’’ argues Jonah even over in 
Nineveh, ‘‘ was not this my saying, when 
I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled 
before unto Tarshish: for I knew that 
thou art a gracious God, and merciful, 
slow to anger, and of great kindness, and 
repentest thee of the evil’’ (4:2). 

But God’s compassions are so impar- 
tial, so universal, so evenly balanced, that 
the impertinence of Jonah only drew the 
more upon Jehovah’s compassion for him. 
He might justly have discharged Jonah 
from his great and noble commission; but 
Jehovah patiently pursued His purpose, 
not only to save Nineveh but also to save 
Jonah. God’s dealing with Jonah all the 
way through is a marvel of His exhaust- 
less compassion for a stubborn, recalci- 
trant servant. It is because of His re- 
sources of compassion that God failed not 
in His confidence concerning His disaf- 
fected prophet. And while Jonah to the 
very last is found disagreeing with his 
God on this very point of compassion for 


46 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


undeserving Nineveh, yet the fact of the 
existence of this book of unvarnished nar- 
ration from Jonah’s own hand warrants 
the surmise that, like the Apostle John— 
one of the ‘‘ Sons of Thunder ’’—Jonah in 
after days became wonderfully conformed 
to the nature of his great-hearted Lord. 

It is not difficult to detect the beautiful 
device of compassion in getting Jonah 
aboard that same ship to be indirectly 
used in leaving behind him a powerful re- 
vival among those seamen. They clearly 
found, worshipped and plighted vows to 
the living and true God. ‘What a lesson to 
the servant of Christ so to let His light 
shine in the darkest nook as to revive the 
smoldering embers of spiritual desire for 
Jesus Christ, ‘‘ the true God and eternal 
life! ’’? What a lesson for the missionary 
among idolaters——to attack those  be- 
nighted souls, not with repelling con- 
demnation of their idols, but with the 
magnetic influences of Christly compas- 
sion and kindness! 

The crowning manifestation of divine 
compassion reflected from the book of 
Jonah is that shown toward Nineveh. 

There is no mistaking that it was divine 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 47 


grace, mercy, long-suffering and ‘“‘ great 
kindness ’’ that moved upon Nineveh 
through even so poor and inharmonious 
a messenger as Jonah. The ultimatum is- 
sued to Nineveh with terrorizing divine 
authority was nevertheless so sincerely 
the faithful warning of unfailing love on 
Jehovah’s part, that the Holy Spirit could 
accomplish the most remarkable national 
revival ever perhaps known. At least 
Jesus holds it up in striking prominence 
historically and as a sharp contrast to the 
cities of Galilee, which failed to repent 
under His own direct ministry of word 
and wonder. 

And, as if it were not proof enough of 
Jehovah’s unfathomable love—for even 
outrageously unmerciful heathen people 
and powers—to record that ‘‘ God saw 
their works, that they turned from their 
evil way; and God repented him of the 
evil, that he said he would do unto them; 
and he did it not,’’ the little book closes 
with the inimitable touch of pitiful love, 
‘‘ And should I not spare Nineveh, that 
great city, wherein are more than six- 
score thousand persons that cannot dis- 
cern between their right hand and their 


48 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


left hand; and also much cattle? ’? God’s 
tender consideration for dumb beasts is 
His last plea for justification in His re- 
lenting towards ill-deserving Ninevites. 
Now, let this compassionateness of God 
be linked up with the two preceding truths, 
—of His immediate, all-pervading pres- 
ence and of His complete sovereignty, 
from utmost heights to lowest depths, in 
minutest and in most comprehensive pur- 
pose—and the charm of the existence of a 
creature of such a God becomes apparent. 
As has been noted, the book of Jonah—or 
even the Bible as a whole—does not hold 
this picture forth as novel or exceptional, 
it does not go into exposition or exclama- 
tion over it; but all this revelation of our 
God meets the thoughtful, open-minded 
and believing reader just as the light 
comes streaming through any casual win- 
dow. The light is there whether there be 
a window for it to shine through or not. 
The presence of God, the government of 
God, the compassion of God, is not the 
rare thing in the universe and in history ; 
His presence, His government, His com- 
passion, each prevails always, everywhere, 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 49 


with everybody, in every event, as the 
very fundamental of universal history. 


IV. The Identification of the Son of God 
as the Arbiter of All Human History. 


An attentive, discriminating reader of 
the book of Jonah must be early struck 
with the marked contrast in the use of di- 
vine names running consistently through 
the entire book. Two divine names are ex- 
clusively employed, God and Lord. Evi- 
dently these two names are used in the 
book of Jonah with exact discrimination. 
The name Lord is Jehovah in the Hebrew, 
and it occurs twenty-six times in the book; 
the name God in Hebrew is Elohim, and it 
occurs sixteen times in the book. These 
Hebrew names will now be restored in 
going again through the book. 

It was ‘‘ the word of Jehovah’’ that 
came to Jonah about going to Nineveh. It 
was ‘‘ from the presence of Jehovah ”’ 
that Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish and 
‘‘ from the presence of Jehovah ’’ that he 
paid the ship’s fare and went down into 
the ship to take passage unto Tarshish. 
It was this Jehovah that ‘‘ sent out a 
great wind.’’ But it was ‘‘ unto his God ”’ 


50 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


(Elohim, deity) that the mariners of min- 
gled heathen religions cried severally in 
their terror. It was unto his God (Elo- 
him) that they urged Jonah to call, to the 
end that God (Hlohim) might think upon 
them to save them from perishing. 

In answering the questions of the sea- 
men as to his identity, Jonah explained 
that he was a Hebrew and that he feared 
Jehovah, whom he designated as ‘‘ the 
Hlohim of Heaven, who—made the sea 
and the dry land.’’ And when Jonah ex- 
plained further that he was in flight from 
‘the presence of Jehovah,’’ the men of 
the ship became ‘‘ exceedingly afraid.’? 
And when they found that, in spite of all 
efforts to row the boat to land without 
throwing Jonah overboard, there was no 
other resort, they cried, not now everyone 
unto his Elohim, but unto Jehovah, say- 
ing, ‘‘ We beseech thee, O Jehovah, let us 
not perish for this man’s life, and lay not 
upon us innocent blood: for thou, Jehovah, 
hast done as it pleased thee.’?? And when 
‘‘ the sea ceased her raging ’’ so miracu- 
lously, ‘‘ The men feared Jehovah exceed- 
ingly, and offered a sacrifice unto Jeho- 
vah, and vowed vows.’’ 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 51 


It was Jehovah that ‘‘ had prepared a 
great fish to swallow up Jonah.’’ It was 
unto Jehovah that Jonah cried; ‘‘I re- 
membered Jehovah,’’ he says in the rec- 
ord. And he testifies, ‘‘ Salvation is of 
Jehovah.’’ In his psalm of memorial he 
also testifies, ‘‘ Yet hast thou brought up 
my life from corruption, O Jehovah, my 
God.’’? This expression he uses in con- 
trasting his Elohim with those of the 
heathen, of whom he speaks in the words, 
‘¢ They that serve lying vanities forsake 
their own mercy,’’ that is, the mercy which 
they might have by looking to Jehovah 
Elohim. 

It was Jehovah that commanded the fish 
at the appointed time to vomit Jonah upon 
dry land. It was Jehovah that came to 
Jonah the second time with the charge to 
go and give the message to Nineveh; and 
‘¢ Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, ac- 
cording to the word of Jehovah.’’ In con- 
trast it reads, ‘‘ the people of Nineveh be- 
lieved Elohim ’’ and ‘‘ proclaimed a fast, 
and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of 
them to the least of them,’’ in obedience 
to the decree of the king who commanded 
them to ‘‘ery mightily unto Hlohim,’’ 


52 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


saying, ‘‘ Who can tell if Elohim will turn 
and repent, and turn away from his fierce 
anger, that we perish not.’’ The record 
now adds, ‘‘ And Elohim saw their works, 
that they turned from their evil way; and 
Klohim repented of the evil, that he had 
said he would do unto them; and he did 
it not.”” 

Immediately, upon returning to the line 
of communication between Jonah and God, 
the record takes up again the Jehovah 
name. Jonah, being ‘‘ displeased exceed- 
ingly,’’ ‘* prayed unto Jehovah, and said, 
I pray. thee, O Jehovah, was not this my 
saying, when I was yet in my country? 
Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for 
I knew that thou art a gracious Elohim, 
and merciful, slow to anger, and of great 
kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. 
Therefore now, O Jehovah, take, I beseech 
thee, my life from me; for it is better for 
me to die than to live.’? Then said Je- 
hovah, ‘‘ Doest thou well to be angry? ”’ 
The propriety of Jonah’s saying, ‘‘ I knew 
that thou art a gracious Elohim,”’ is ob- 
vious. He was speaking of ‘the deity in 
His relations to the Ninevites who did not 
turn to Him as Jehovah, and that evi- 


THE BOOK OF JONAH De 


dently just because Jonah had _ not 
preached to them the name of Jehovah, 
but that only of God Almighty. 

This distinction between the relation of 
the deity as God (Elohim) and as Lord 
(Jehovah) is strikingly indicated by the 
compound of the two names now intro- 
duced just once in this book. ‘‘ And Jeho- 
vah Elohim prepared a gourd, and made 
it to come up over Jonah, that it might be 
a shadow over his head, to deliver him 
from his grief. So Jonah was exceedingly 
glad of the gourd.’’ This tender and mer- 
ciful act was performed toward the surly 
prophet by God as Jehovah, in a relation- 
ship of active, unhampered grace, mercy, 
long-suffering and great kindness. 

But at once the deity ceases His Jeho- 
vah dealing with Jonah, and He deals 
with him purely as Elohim without mani- 
festations as Jehovah. ‘‘ But God (Elo- 
him) prepared a worm when the morning 
rose the next day, and it smote the gourd 
that it withered. And it came to pass, 
when the sun did arise, that Elohim pre- 
pared a vehement east wind; and the sun 
beat upon the head of Jonah, that he 
fainted, and wished in himself to die, and 


54 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


said, It is better for me to die than to live. 
And Elohim said to Jonah, Doest thou 
well to be angry for the gourd? And he 
said, I do well to be angry, even ie 
seein f 

Finally, and just as suddenly—like sun- 
shine succeeding dark shadows—the rec- 
ord reverts to the name of Jehovah. 
*‘ Then said Jehovah, Thou hast had pity 
on (hadst spared) the gourd, for the which 
thou hast not laboured, neither madest it 
to grow; which came up in a night and 
perished in a night.’? And the wonderful 
record, so discriminating in the use of the 
divine names, shows that, while the Nine- 
vites had not called upon God as Jehovah, 
as the seamen had done, to whom J shat 
had confessed that name, yet, as God 
teaches Jonah, it was as Jehovah that He 
had dealt with the Ninevites. ‘And 
should not I spare Nineveh, that great 
city, wherein are more Han Six-score 
thousand persons that cannot discern be- 
tween their right hand and their left hand; 
and also much cattle??? As if God rea- 
soned with Jonah on this wise: ‘‘ You 
say that you knew that I was a gracious 
God, merciful, slow to anger, and of 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 55 


great kindness. You knew that I was 
such to you and to your people. And do 
you expect me to be different to other 
people? Do you take my name Jehovah 
to imply partiality and to stamp me merely 
as a national God, as Jehovah in my senti- 
ments and my relations to Israel alone? ”’ 

This survey of the -discriminating use 
of the divine names in the book of Jonah 
yields most important truth touching the 
Godhead in relation, not only to this little 
bit of history, but also in relation to all 
history. 

The book of Jonah has made it evident 
that the name Jehovah is attached to God 
in His exercises of grace, mercy, long- 
suffering, and great kindness, or in His of- 
fices of redemption and in His person as 
Saviour. Therefore, the name Lord, or 
Jehovah, in the book of Jonah, designates 
distinctively the Son of God as Mediator 
between God and man, as God’s Redeemer, 
Saviour and Judge to sinful man. Not 
that His sentiments and functions are in 
any wise diverse from those of the Al- 
mighty Father; for, in fact, He as Jehovah 
reveals the Almighty as Father and ful- 
fills His loving will toward man. In the 


56 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


book of Jonah, then, the divine presence, 
government, and unfailing compassion are 
manifest in and through Jehovah, the Son 
of God, Jesus Christ. It is He, therefore, 
that is found to be arbiter in that bit of 
history. But this instance does not ap- 
pear at all as exceptional, but rather as an 
illustration of what is universal. And, in 
fact, this revelation of the Son of God in 
Jonah is directly in line with the revela- 
tion of His relation to human history run- 
ning all through the Bible. 

It is most important, then, to notice how 
the same discrimination in the use of the 
divine names Elohim and Jehovah con- 
fronts the reader of the Bible as soon as 
the history of man is introduced. The ac- 
count of the creation and of the earth’s 
preparation for human history, found in 
Gen. 1: 1-2, 3, is purely Elohistic. But at 
once thereafter the Jehovistic personality 
and functions come to the front and con- 
tinue so throughout the Old Testament. 
In Genesis 2:4 and following it is made 
plain that it was in and through the per- 
son and the functions of ‘‘ the Lord God ”’ 
that the deity created all things, formed 
man for his exalted career, and set man in 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 57 


Eden’s garden under His own instruc- 
tions and in accountability to Himself as 
the head of his being and the Lord of his 
career. Now the ‘‘ Lord God,’’—that is, 
the administering person of the trinity— 
is always the Son of God, to whom the 
Father, both in the pre-incarnate exist- 
ence of the Son and in His incarnate and 
reglorified existence, committed all things 
for administration. Jesus was voicing 
this fact in His words as recorded in 
Matt. 28:18: ‘* All power (authority) is 
given unto me in heaven and in earth.’’ 
The divine name Lord is commonly 
throughout the Old Testament the word 
Jehovah in the Hebrew. 

So, when man denied his Jehovah God 
out of deference to ‘‘ that old serpent, 
called the devil, and Satan,’’ it was out of 
living headship in the Son of God that 
he fell into the nature of his new and false 
Elohim. (Note the serpent’s promise, 
‘Ye shall be[come] as gods,’’ after the 
nature of the false, the devil gods; ‘‘ ye 
are of your father the devil.’’) But Je- 
hovah at once carried His mediatorial 
personality and functions over into rela- 
tionship with man in his fallen and lost 


58 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


condition as the One ‘‘ sent to seek and to 
save that which was lost.’? The grace, 
mercy, long-suffering, and great kindness 
of Elohim began at once to be revealed 
and executed through Jehovah Hlohim— 
Christ, the Son of God—as Redeemer, 
Saviour and final Judge. As John puts 
it, ‘‘ The light shineth in the darkness; ”’ 
He, who by man’s creation was unto him 
‘‘ the light of men,’’? remained the same 
light to man after his fall, only having 
now to shine in darkness—seeking, as 
Paul puts it, ‘‘ to shine out of darkness— 
in our hearts, to give the light of the 
knowledge of the glory of God in the face 
of Jesus Christ ’’ (II Cor. 4:6). Satan’s 
control of fallen man, however, constantly 
tended to thwart Jehovah God’s saving 
offices toward lost souls. This Satan did 
in large and persistent degree by substi- 
tuting visible idols for the invisible Jeho- 
vah as the media of approach unto Elo- 
him, and by substituting himself as the 
Hlohim, the god and prince of this 
world. 

At a stage of deepest apostasy of man- 
kind Abram was called out to be a new 
father, or progenitor, of humanity, a 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 59 


father of the true original faith in Je- 
hovah Elohim. Most striking for our pur- 
pose is the language found in Ex. 6:2, 3, 
although the passage is strangely per- 
verted from its meaning by the punctua- 
tion of the text as given by King James’ 
translators. ‘‘ And God spake unto Moses, 
and said unto him, I am the Lord (Jeho- 
vah); and I appeared unto Abraham, unto 
Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God 
Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was 
I not known to them.’’ This evidently 
should be punctuated as a question, ‘‘ By 
my name JeEHovaH was I not known to 
them? ’’ Certainly He was so known to 
them, and to all the saints back to peni- 
tent Adam and Eve. And it was for the 
purpose of fully reviving the Jehovistic 
faith of these and of the more distant 
fathers that Moses was being called back 
into Egypt to his brethren, preparatory to 
their being brought out of their bondage 
into Canaan as Christ’s separate people. 
The book of Jonah, therefore, is found 
to be of incalculable value historically in 
illustrating the immediate presence, per- 
sonal government and unfailing benefi- 


60 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


cence of God through Jesus Christ, His 
Son, in all earthly history. 


V. The Relation of Israel Under Christ 
to Gentile Nations. 


God, in His saving purpose in Christ 
Jesus for mankind, brought Abraham and 
his seed into partnership and service with 
Himself. The focus and objective of the 
Abrahamic covenant was expressed in the 
climax of the first statement of that cove- 
nant, in these words: ‘‘ And in thee shall 
all families of the earth be blessed ’’ (Gen. 
12:3). God’s supreme purpose with 
Abraham was expressed in Gen. 18:18 in 
the words, ‘‘ Seeing that—all the nations 
of the earth shall be blessed in him.”’ 
At the time of Abraham’s offering up 
Isaac, a new statement of this supreme 
purpose was given by God in the words: 
‘* In thy seed shall all the nations of the 
earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed 
my voice’’ (Gen. 22:18). But by “ thy 
seed ’’ was meant Christ Jesus as son of 
Abraham, as Paul explains in Gal. 3:16: 
‘“ Now to Abraham and his seed were the 
promises made. He saith not, and to thy 
seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to 


o 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 61 


thy seed, which is Christ.’’ Of course 
Abraham understood this, and this under- 
standing descended to Isaac, to Jacob, and 
to all succeeding generations, excepting 
as it would be lost from view, as other re- 
vealed truths were so sadly lost sight of. 


/ Hence the Abrahamic covenant was a part- 


nership between Christ (Jehovah) and 
Abraham (embracing the latter’s faith- 
seed, not only that of Israel but also that 
of all nations) for the blessing of all 
families of the earth. 

This was also the basis of the Mosaic, 
or Sinaitic, covenant. The terms of this 
covenant are found in Hx. 19:3-6. In 
this passage Christ directed Moses first 
to impress upon the children of Israel His 
fearful judgment upon the Egyptians, 
while catching up them, the children of 
Israel, as on eagles’ wings and bringing 
them so mercifully and marvellously out 
there unto Himself apart. On the basis 
and background of such an exhibition of 
redemptive grace and mercy the Lord 
then promised that, if they would only re- 
spond in loving obedience to Him and in 
fidelity to the inherited Abrahamic cove- 
nant, they should enjoy being His peculiar 


62 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


heart-treasure above all other peoples; 
they should be unto Him in point of sery- 
ice a kingdom of priests; and they should 
be in moral character a holy nation, sepa- 
rate from the polluted Gentile nations. 
Israel professedly accepted these terms, 
and all further Hebrew history proceeded 
upon this basis. 

The feature of these terms which is 
pertinent to this discussion is that relat- 
ing to the service to which the Son of God 
called the children of Israel as a body. 
As their King He was to have their serv- 
ice not merely as a kingdom—serving 
Him unitedly and obediently—but as “‘ a 
kingdom of priests.’? Now a priest is one 
who appears before God in representation 
of and in intercession for others, and one 
who then comes forth in representation of 
and with communication from God _ to 
those others. He is man’s intercessor 
unto God and God’s messenger unto man. 
The priest is a mediator between man and 
God, and between God and man; he ig al- 
ternately representative of both man and 
God. And it is most essential that the 
priest shall be in perfect sympathy with 
both man and God, and that he shall serve 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 63 


to effect and preserve happy reciprocal 
relations between the two. 

This was the office to which Christ 
called Israel in behalf of all other nations 
in their relations to God. The expression, 
‘‘a kingdom of priests,’’ has nothing to 
do with the function of priesthood for 
Israel’s own benefit. It was not that they 
were to have a priesthood for themselves 
as a nation, but that as Christ’s kingdom 
in the whole they were to exercise priest- 
hood. The question arises, in whose be- 
half were they as a body to be appearing 
representatively in intercession before 
God and returning representatively from 
God as His messengers? Of course, it 
means in behalf of the other kingdoms of 
the earth. Christ wanted them as His 
peculiar treasure—‘‘ above all people ’’— 
to be serviceable to Him as a priestly 
kingdom for the blessing, according to the 
Abrahamic covenant, of all other nations. 
They were to be intercessors in their be- 
half before God and God’s messengers of 
salvation to the same. And as a priestly 
nation Israel was to bear all nations sym- 
pathetically before God in intercession 
and in full sympathy with God to bring 


64 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


His word of life to the Gentiles. This 
means that Christ Jesus, in choosing Is- 
rael unto Himself, was not a respecter of 
nations any more than He is of persons, 
but that, in choosing Israel to be so near 
to Himself, He did so in the spiritual 
interest of all peoples, that He might 
thereby bring other peoples nigh unto 
Himself. 


The foregoing discussion points to the 
great historical value of Jonah in a very 
important respect. 

‘“ For all the earth is mine,’’ said Christ 
to Moses when proposing to make Israel 
His peculiar treasure, ‘‘ above all peo- 
ple.’’ All other peoples were His and are 
His. However unworthy any people may 
be, yet Christ Jesus as Lord of all the 
earth holds Himself divinely interested 
in and redemptively responsible for them. 
Israel was His accountable partner in this 
interest and responsibility, as Christian 
nations of to-day are through the Church 
in their midst. Nineveh was Christ ’s, As- 
syria was His own, although sadly alien- 
ated from Him. Jonah’s ministry was not 
Christ’s first effort to hold Nineveh back 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 65 


from moral, spiritual and political down- 
fall. In His concern for Nineveh Israel 
was Christ’s natural resort when urged to 
ery, ‘‘ Whom shall I send, and who will go 
for us?’’? And by Israel is here meant - 
specifically the northern kingdom, just 
that part of the Holy Land that had re- 
cently been brutally assaulted by Assyria 
and robbed of large and goodly terri- 
tories. Forgiveness of enemies is the law 
of Christ: ‘‘ Do good to them which hate 
you, bless them that curse you, and pray 
for them which despitefully use you.’’ As 
a ‘‘ kingdom of priests ’’ Israel was under 
this law of Christ. Jonah supposedly, as 
Jehovah’s messenger for the times, was 
not only a Hebrew patriot but—in full 
harmony therewith—he was also a priest 
unto Christ in behalf of Assyria, and one 
ready to go forth from the mercy-seat of 
God willingly and faithfully to bear the 
message of the Redeemer to Nineveh, 
‘<that great city.’’ 

Jonah is the earliest of the prophetical 
books; and this book so early illustrates 
the truculent spirit of Israel regarding 
her high calling in Christ toward foreign 
nations, especially toward enemy nations. 


66 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


Forgiveness, love, prayer, long-suffering, 
overcoming evil with good,—all this was 
mostly foreign to Israel in international 
relations; indeed to her mind it was not 
good ‘‘ politics ’’ or wise ‘‘ diplomacy.”? 
And even the prophet Jonah had to be 
dragged to his post and service of duty. 
He apparently would have bravely con- 
fronted the haughty capital to consign her 
to certain destruction; but to call her to 
repentance with likelihood of her forgive- 
ness by Jehovah, was to him most unpala- 
table. How sadly derelict in intercession 
must he have been, and how ungracious 
was he consequently as Jehovah’s moni- 
tory messenger! 

As Jehovah saw Nineveh there was in 
her situation a piteous appeal, ‘‘ Come 
over, and help us! ’’ And Jehovah gained 
the end of His compassion although by so 
unfit an instrumentality. ‘‘ Some indeed 
preach Christ even of envy and strife ;— 
What then? notwithstanding, every way, 
whether by pretence, or in truth, Christ is 
preached.’’ ‘* And I therein do rejoice,” 
said the truly Christly Paul, ‘‘ yea, and 
will rejoice.’? Christ was preached to 
Nineveh, and happily Nineveh listened to 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 67 


Him, and through Him as Redeemer 
Nineveh obtained at least temporary 
political salvation. 

There is wrapped up in this episode an 
inspiring prophecy. Although Israel went 
on and became so recreant to her interna- 
tional calling as finally to compel her Lord 
and King to place her under the heel of 
the very nations whom she failed to serve 
spiritually, yea, with whom she so often 
committed adultery toward her true 
Spouse, and although her King has com- 
mitted her high office as a kingdom of 
priests to other hands, yet ‘‘ God is able 
to graff them in again.’’ ‘‘ Israel shall 
be saved.’’ ‘‘ His compassions fail not ’”’ 
toward her. ‘‘ As concerning the Gospel, 
they are enemies for your sakes: but as 
touching the election, they are beloved for 
the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and 
calling of God are without repentance ’’ 
(Rom. 11:23, 26, 28, 29). The day is 
coming when all Israelites will be true 
priests of Christ in behalf of the nations 
of the earth. Isaiah most aptly and strik- 
ingly describes the relationship of millen- 
nial Israel to Gentile nations. Whereas 
the Apostle Paul could justly lay the 


68 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


charge against Israel of old, ‘‘ For the 
name of God is blasphemed among the 
Gentiles through you, as it is written ”’ 
(Rom. 2:23), yet, when Jesus Christ shall 
have returned to ‘‘ reign in Mount Zion, 
and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients 
(ancient people Israel) gloriously,’’ then, 
as Isaiah says, ‘‘ Ye (restored Israel) 
shall be named the Priests of the Lord: 
men shall call you the Ministers of our 
God ’’ (Is. 61:6). 


VI. Probationary Relation of God to 
Nations and Empires Through Jesus 
Christ. 

By way of concrete illustration, the 
Bible nowhere throws clearer light upon 
the probationary aspect of the history of 
all peoples, kingdoms and empires than is 
done in the book of Jonah. 

In the first place, it is evident that Nine- 
veh had already been long under national 
probation. God held her accountable to 
Himself, and He was shocked in weighing 
her in His moral balances to find that she 
was so wanting as to demand His immedi- 
ate Judgment. In His reluctance to visit 
just desert upon her He made one more 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 69 


moral effort. It was no ordinary warning 
that Jehovah gave Nineveh this time. 
Jonah was not only a preacher on the 
streets of Nineveh; ‘‘ Jonas was a sign 
unto the Ninevites.’? The extraordinary 
diplomacy of God _ sueceeded,—Nineveh 
capitulated most humbly and _ sincerely. 
The result was that Nineveh had two and 
one-half centuries more of probation 
granted her. Another Jonah, however, 
was not then sent to her. The message 
of Nahum, consigning Nineveh peremp- 
torily to the judgment of oblivion, breathes 
no tone of possible amnesty, but only the 
tone of unquenchable vengeance. ‘‘ There 
is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is 
grievous: all that hear the bruit of thee 
shall clap the hands over thee: for upon 
whom hath not thy wickedness passed con- 
tinually?’’ (Nahum 3:19). 

The Bible is frank and emphatic in de- 
claring that the secret of all political his- 
tory is just this probationary dealing of 
the Son of God with earthly powers. At 
His pleasure He allotted a remaining span 
of one hundred and twenty years to the 
probation of the antediluvian world. He 
had long before powerfully preached to 


70 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


the antediluvian race through Enoch and 
had confirmed that preaching by the sign 
of Hnoch’s translation. Before ‘‘ bring- 
ing in the flood upon the world of the un- 
godly,’’ a final epoch of powerful preach- 
ing of ‘‘ righteousness, temperance and 
judgment to come’’ was conducted by 
Christ—in the power of the Spirit that 
afterwards raised Him from the dead— 
through Noah. See I Peter 3:18-20 and 
IT Peter 2:5. 

To Abraham Jehovah revealed that not 
for four hundred years yet should his seed 
be permitted to occupy the promised land 
in possession, explaining why in the words, 
‘* For the iniquity of the Amorites is not 
yet full.’”’ Jehovah would yet wink at 
their ignorance and sin for four hundred 
years before dispossessing them. 

By Jeremiah Jehovah explained His 
purposes concerning Nebuchadnezzar: ‘‘ I 
have made the earth, the man and the 
beast that are upon the ground, by my 
great power and by my outstretched arm, 
and have given it unto whom it seemed 
meet unto me. And now have I given all 
these lands into the hands of Nebuchad- 
nezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 71 


and the beasts of the field have I given 
also to serve him. And all nations shall 
serve him, and his son, and his son’s son, 
until the very time of his land come: and 
then many nations and great kings shall 
serve themselves of him. And it shall 
come to pass that the nation and kingdom 
which will not serve the same Nebuchad- 
nezzar the king of Babylon, and that will 
not put their neck under the yoke of the 
king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, 
saith the Lord, with the sword and with 
the famine, and with the pestilence, until 
I have consumed them by his hand ’’ (Jer. 
27:5-8). To this same Nebuchadnezzar 
Daniel said of Christ the Lord, ‘‘ He re- 
moveth kings, and setteth up kings.’’ 
Again he said, ‘‘ To the intent that the 
living may know that the Most High rul- 
eth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it 
to whomsoever he will, and setteth over it 
the basest of men.’’ And suiting the ac 
tion to the word, the Son of God gave 
Nebuchadnezzar twelve months of further 
probation, then seven years of mania, 
after which a ‘‘ man’s heart was given ”’ 
him with which to glorify the Most High, 
saying, ‘‘ Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise 


72 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


and extol and honour the King of Heaven, 
all whose works are truth, and his ways 
Judgment; and those that walk in pride he 
is able to abase’’ (4:37). 

As a part of Christ’s probationary deal- 
ings with earthly political bodies, the book 
of Jonah reveals the place of mighty re- 
vivals in national history. A genuine and 
powerful spiritual revival is always 
marked by pungent conviction of sin and 
by deep repentance toward God. It is 
righteousness alone that exalteth a nation 
truly and permanently. But nations are, 
as was even Israel, ‘‘ bent to backsliding.’’ 
Did not God send from time to time pro- 
found awakenings, nations would hasten 
to their doom with rapidly accelerating 
speed, Thus Nineveh was happily arrested 
and slowed up in her downward plunge. 
Likewise Babylon was visited, principally 
through Daniel at the court, by successive 
waves of revived acknowledgment of Je- 
hovah. But the ordinary Jewish captives 
likewise were called to be a continual 
priestly element in Babylon; for they were 
charged through Jeremiah to ‘‘ geek the 
peace of the city whither I have caused 
you to be carried away captives, and pray 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 73 


unto the Lord for it; for in the peace 
thereof shall ye have peace ”’ (Jer. 29:7). 
The Persian Empire experienced a re- 
markable spiritual awakening during the 
reign of Artaxerxes by virtue of the mar- 
vellous dealings of the Lord in behalf of 
the Jews through Queen Esther (Hsther 
ethonil ayia WAY 

Sometimes these revivals are brought 
about through conspicuous persons of 
political position and influence, like Jo- 
seph or Daniel; sometimes by less con- 
spicuous instrumentalities, as in the pres- 
ent-day revivals in Corea and Russia. 
But it all testifies that the Most High 
King of Heaven is a Reviver and Saviour, 
not only of individuals and of His Church, 
but also of His earthly nations. With the 
latter He deals on a broad scale, carrying 
out His probationary program with na- 
tions through many generations and even 
centuries. And, as has already been said, 
this probationary dealing of Jesus Christ 
—as King of nations, as well as King of 
Israel—constitutes the true key to the 
study of national and international his- 
tory. But it is not to be forgotten that it 
is in the capacity of a redemptive King 


74 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


that the Son of God thus governs the 
course of history. The motives and aims 
of grace, mercy, long-suffering and great 
kindness govern these dealings, while 
punitive judgment and vengeance are His 
‘‘ strange work,’’ alien to His habit. It is 
as a notable illustration of this fact that 
the book of Jonah is of such special his- 
torical value. 

On the other hand, the book of Jonah, 
taken in connection with the book of Na- 
hum, in which the final decree of Nine- 
veh’s destruction was issued, illustrates 
that these very interventions of mercy and 
of further probation are warnings of a 
sure, irreparable judgment upon nations 
that prove to be finally incorrigible. The 
occasional visitations of wrath from the 
Kking of Heaven upon nations of history 
point forward as sure finger-boards to 
‘* that great day of the Lord.’’? Through- 
out the Bible a ‘‘ Grand Assize ’’ is stead- 
ily held in prospect: ‘‘ When the Son of 
man shall come in his glory, and all the 
holy angels with him, then shall he sit 
upon the throne of his glory: and before 
him shall be gathered all nations: and he 
shall separate them one from another, as 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 75 


a shepherd divideth his sheep from the 
goats, and he shall set the sheep on his 
right hand, and the goats on the left. 
Then shall the King say unto them on 
his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my 
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for 
you from the foundation of the world :— 
Then shall he say also unto them on his 
left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into 
everlasting fire, prepared for the devil 
and his angels:—And these shall go 
away into everlasting punishment: but 
the righteous into life eternal’’ (Matt. 
25: 31-34, 41, 46). This is not the judg- 
ment of individuals, or that of the great 
white throne after the millennium; but it 
is the judicial session which the glorified 
Jesus will hold upon His return to the 
earth with the assembled nations of the 
world—possibly including those already 
governmentally extinct—to determine 
their destinies during the millennial age. 
Some will be effaced as governmental 
bodies; others will be enlarged and ex- 
alted; all that are spared will be interna- 
tionally reorganized on the principle on 
which the Most High first appointed the 
locations and relations of the nations, as 


76 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


is expressed in Deut. 32:8: ‘* When the 
Most High divided to the nations their in- 
heritance, when he separated the sons of 
Adam, he set the bounds of the people ac- 
cording to the number of the children of 
Israel.’’ 

Because of this probationary character 
of Nineveh’s history, her perilous condi- 
tion constituted a strong appeal, not only 
to Jehovah, but also to Jonah and to Is- 
rael. There was a ‘‘S. O. 8.’’ message 
sounding up to Heaven and over to 
Heaven’s servant in Israel. ‘‘ Suspend 
Other Service! ’’ ‘* Come over, and help 
us!’’ Just when moral conditions are at 
the point to challenge punitive response 
from Heaven is the time when the moral 
need cries the loudest and most urgently 
for all possible remaining gospel help and 
revival. Jonah was criminally reluctant 
to answer this cry,—like a ship at sea 
proving delinquent in suspending other 
service to rush to the aid of a sister ship 
in its extremity. When Nineveh repented 
so gloriously and escaped, though so nar- 
rowly, imminent destruction, Jonah had a 
stirring lesson for his own heart and one 
to take back to his native land,—the les- 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 17 


son of what would have been but for the 
needful gospel message. Did Jonah bear 
Nineveh’s admonition back to bigoted, re- 
sentful, unmerciful Israel? 

The most important feature of the his- 
torical value of the book of Jonah yet 
noticed looms big upon the spiritually- 
minded reader right here: Nineveh’s ap- 
peal affords a striking anticipation of the 
charge of Jesus Christ given His Church 
for this age in Matt. 24:14: ‘* This gospel 
of the kingdom shall be preached in all the 
world for a witness unto all nations.’’? In 
answer to the inquiries of His disciples, 
Jesus had in vivid prospectus brought 
them to the first terminus ad quem, ‘‘ the 
end’’ to be reached in the utter demoli- 
tion of the Holy City and of the temple by 
Roman arms in 70 A. D. Now, sand- 
wiched between that terminal point and 
the other terminus ad quem of the dis- 
ciples’ inquiries,—‘‘ the end of the world 
(age)’? at His return—Jesus ordained 
that a world-wide, uninterrupted procla- 
mation should be maintained by His mes- 
sengers of ‘‘ this gospel of the kingdom ”’ 
—that is, of His heavenly kingship and 


kingly return—‘ for a@ witness unto all 


78 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


nations.’’ And the book of Jonah teaches 
us that this truth of the kingdom to be set 
up in the earth by the glorified Jesus upon 
returning from Heaven to earth is not just 
a ‘‘ deeper truth ’’ for ‘‘ advanced believ- 
ers,’’ but a converting message to be 
borne to ‘‘ ungodly sinners,’’ as Enoch did 
in his day (Jude 14, 15), as Paul did at 
Thessalonica (I Thess. 1:9, 10); and that 
not to ungodly individuals and classes 
only, but also to ungodly nations and em- 
pires, as did the prophets of old and as 
did the Apostles of Jesus Christ. For in- 
stance, Paul stayed only over three Sab- 
bath days preaching at Thessalonica; and 
yet so promptly and prominently did 
he preach ‘‘ this gospel of the kingdom,”’ 
that the accusation was brought before 
the rulers of the city, ‘‘ These all do con- 
trary to the decrees of Caesar, saying, 
that there is another king, one Jesus ’’ 
(Acts 17:7). Evidently one reason in the 
Lord’s mind for the early destruction of 
Jerusalem in this age was that gospel ac- 
tivity might be soon decentered from the 
old Mecca of the faith and sent forth to 
establish centers in the midst of all na- 
tions of the earth. This is an essential, 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 19 


the most essential, factor in His proba- 
tionary program for every nation through- 
out the entire Christian dispensation. 


VII. ‘‘ The Sign of the Prophet Jonas.’’ 


‘¢Then certain of the scribes and of the 
Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we 
would see a sign from thee. But he an- 
swered and said unto them, An evil and 
adulterous generation seeketh after a 
sign; and there shall no sign be given to 
it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: for 
as Jonas was three days and three nights 
in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of 
man be three days and three nights in the 
heart of the earth’? (Matt. 12:38-40). 
The deepest historical significance to be 
drawn from the book of Jonah is evidently 
intimated by this word of Jesus Christ. 

It were only superficial to say that there 
is a striking analogy between the entomb- 
ment of Jonah and that of Jesus Christ. 
Yet even the mere equivalent of time be- 
tween the two is of much historical value. 
The record of Jonah states as explicitly as 
human language is capable of doing, that 
the prophet Jonah was entombed three 
days and three nights—seventy-two hours. 


80 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


Jesus stated that His entombment was to 
be of precisely the same length of time. 
This establishes the certain basis upon 
which the day and the hour of Jesus’ en- 
tombment, and the day and the hour of 
His being quickened from the dead, can be 
determined. These are important data 
constituting evidences that Jesus was the 
very Christ,—evidences which a keen, sin- 
cere and competent Jewish investigator 
would require. From this basis, however, 
ecclesiastical tradition and _ celebration 
have long rashly and injuriously departed. 
Nothing but a strict adherence to this 
time-basis will satisfy all the demands of 
Old Testament types and of New Testa- 
ment records. This fact renders this item 
contributed by the book of Jonah of great 
historical value. 

But something of far deeper signifi- 
cance and higher importance is embraced 
in Jonah’s being ‘‘ a sign unto the Nine- 
vites.’? What does this expression mean? 
It certainly must mean that the power of 
Jonah’s message was not confined to the 
message, but that the message derived its 
effect from the messenger himself. Evi- 
dently this was due to the fact that Jonah 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 81 


came to Nineveh as one risen from the 
dead. But even this was not all, for Jesus 
spoke of some on this wise: ‘‘ Neither will 
they be persuaded, though one rose from 
the dead.’’? Jonah came to the Ninevites 
as one who had died for them and risen 
again. He was a sign to them of mercy 
from God through substitutionary death 
and resurrection. Not to claim that Jonah 
actually died and rose from death, nor 
that he actually died a substitutionary 
death for the Ninevites. But he was the 
‘‘sion,’’ the figure, of actual atoning 
death in their behalf and a ‘“‘ sign”’ of 
the living, merciful presence of the dying 
One. That One was Jehovah who sent 
Jonah, in whose name Jonah appeared 
among them in semblance as well as in 
message. 

Thus the book of Jonah in its supreme 
feature attests that most important se- 
eret of universal history,—that the world 
stands and moves on to its final restitu- 
tion by virtue of ‘‘ the Lamb slain from 
the foundation of the world.’’? There is 
no understanding of Nineveh’s repentance 
and of the remission of her impending 
judgment, but through the evident fact 


82 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


that the power and effect of the atonement 
of the Lamb of God was being realized 
then and there. Those words of Jonah 
recorded in 4:2 have been found to be the 
pivot of the whole story, namely, Jonah’s 
testimony to Jehovah as ‘‘ a gracious God, 
and merciful, slow to anger, and of great 
kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.’ 
This means that the power of Calvary was 
in operation and bringing forth fruit in 
Nineveh in that day. And this signifies 
nothing less than that Calvary is in opera- 
tion in history universally, that God’s 
dealing with all men, with all nations and 
with all empires, is always through the re- 
demption that is in Jesus Christ. 

At the first, however, this involves 
human reason in an apparently inex- 
plicable dilemma. How can it be that 
atonement for sin is confined mediatorially 
to the actual cross of Calvary, and yet 
that the power and the effects of the blood 
of Jesus were in full force all the way 
back to the fall of man? It is not enough 
to explain Nineveh’s case, and all others 
throughout world-history, to say that the 
sacrifice of Calvary was always ‘‘in the 
mind of God.’’? The Bible gives no such 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 83 


explanation. Is it valid to say, that Nine- 
veh was not really forgiven about eight 
hundred and fifty years before Christ, but 
was first forgiven after the blood of Jesus 
had been  shed,—‘‘ retroactively for- 
given ’’? The Bible does not support 
the position that forgiveness, real and 
sweet, was not enjoyed in pre-Christian 
times. Are we then compelled to conclude 
that the literal cross was not actually. 
necessary for atonement, but necessary, 
forsooth, only as a visible revelation and 
dramatization of a mystical atonement 
following man in his history all the way 
down from the fall? The Bible does not 
give to Christ’s death on Calvary this 
merely spectacular place and meaning. 
Surely, revelation from God—not the 
mere theory of human reason—is needed; 
and such revelation we have. 

A clear exposition of the mystery is 
found in Heb. 9: 24-26: ‘‘ Christ is not 
entered into the holy places made with 
hands, which are figures of the true; but 
into Heaven itself, now to appear in the 
presence of God for us: nor yet that he 
should offer himself often, as the high 
priest entereth into the holy place every 


84 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


year with blood of others; for then must 
he often have suffered since the founda- 
tion of the world; but now once in the end 
of the world hath he appeared to put away 
sin by the sacrifice of himself.’’ The last 
verse especially gives us the needed rev- 
elation. 

It is admitted in this passage that sacri- 
fice for sin was needed from the founda- 
tion of the world. And it is clearly im- 
plied that from the foundation of the 
world the sacrifice of Christ was effective. 
It is virtually declared that, if such were 
not the case, this sacrifice should have 
been made actually in advance, or for all 
men living before Calvary never forgive- 
ness could be found. There is no hint of 
a retroactive application of Jesus’ blood, 
by which prior sins could be forgiven 
after the event of Christ’s death. Fur- 
thermore, it is clearly implied that, if 
Christ’s sacrifice had needed to be made 
at the beginning to be effective then, it 
must have needed to be often repeated. 
This would mean that the sacrifice of 
Jesus Christ for sin was only temporary 
and limited in power, like the sacrifices of 
the Levitical code. The passage clearly 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 85 


implies, on the contrary, that the one 
sacrifice of Christ on Calvary—far down 
the stream of history—operated in as full 
saving power immediately upon man’s fall 
as if it had been enacted on that fateful 
evening when the anxious Christ cried 
after the fugitive pair, ‘‘ Where art 
thou? ’’? It is, however, natural, even for 
sanctified reason (and it is perfectly legiti- 
mate) to inquire, How could this be? 

This inquiry is clearly and beautifully 
answered in this very verse, although it 
is somewhat obscured by the translation 
of the Authorized Version. No doubt 
many have been puzzled by the expres- 
sion, ‘‘in the end of the world.’’ One 
would rightly say that that time has not 
even yet come. But the Revised Version 
rightly translates it ‘‘ ages ’’ instead of 
‘¢ world,’’—‘‘ once in the end of the ages.”’ 
One’s mind is, however, still confused; for 
the ages had not then, and they have not 
yet, reached their termination. But ter- 
mination is not at all the intended mean- 
ing of the word ‘‘end.’? The marginal 
reading —a perfectly correct one—1is 
‘¢ eonsummation,’’—‘‘ once at the con- 
summation of the ages hath he appeared 


86 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


to put away sin by the sacrifice of him- 
self.?? What a glorious light this passage 
now throws for us upon the death of 
Jesus! His cross marks the ‘‘ end ’’ of 
all ages—past, present, and to come—in 
the sense of the objective, the goal, the 
conjunctive, the confluence,—yea, His 
cross marks the ‘*‘ consummation ’’ of all 
ages. 

The ages are not mere successive periods 
of time, or stages of progress: they con- 
stitute a unity, an organism, a construc- 
tive whole. The ages are like a living, 
highly organized body. The dying Lamb 
is, as it were, the heart in this complex 
organism, pulsating with equal saving 
energy throughout the whole body of the 
ages, whether in the freshly desecrated 
Garden of Eden, or in the New Jerusalem, 
of which it is said, ‘‘ The Lord God AI- 
mighty and the Lamb are the temple 
Oli? 

Human reason can of itself conceive of 
efficacy from an act only as ex post facto, 
subsequent to the event; that is, effect 
must follow cause in time as well as in 
power. But it is not so at all with God, 
and it is not so with enlightened faith. 


THE BOOK OF JONAH 87 


‘¢ By faith we understand.’’ By faith we 
understand under the light of God’s Word 
that Jesus is God’s Lamb of all the ages 
conjointly, and hence equally. The ages 
are so unified and organized that, had 
Jesus died at the beginning of the ages as 
a mere succession of time, His blood 
would have been of but partial, ex post 
facto, efficacy; whereas, Jesus’ dying at 
‘‘the consummation of the ages’’ as a 
composite whole gives His blood full and 
equal efficacy throughout all ages. 

‘< He made the ages.’’ The ages are a 
creation, created by Christ Jesus for the 
Father and after the Father’s sovereign 
design. They all together form an incom- 
parable mosaic, of which the Lamb is the 
centralizing, organizing, harmonizing, 
commanding objective. Place Him any- 
where else than at the ‘‘ consummation,”’ 
the confluence, and the pattern becomes 
unintelligible and beautiless. ‘‘ The ages 
were framed by the word (personal Word) 
of God.’’ The ages constitute an impos- 
ing piece of divine architecture. The 
Architect and Builder is God the Son, 
‘¢the Word of God,’’ Jesus Christ. Un- 
believing mortal, however great a self- 


88 UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF 


styled philosopher or scientist he be, can 
see no wondrous temple of the ages, with 
the Lamb as the chief cornerstone, the 
Lamb as the capstone, the Lamb as the 
architectural ‘‘ theme ’’ of this design, 
the symphony of all the exquisite, intri- 
cate, delicate expression of this edifice; 
but ‘‘ by faith we understand ”’ this mag- 
nificent, boundless revelation. ‘The fur- 
ther the ages wheel into place historically, 
the more all realms of beings will be im- 
pressed with Him—the central personality 
of all ages—as THE Lamp oF THE AGES. 


Printed in the United States of America 


DESCRIPTIVE PRICE LIST OF WRITINGS 


By W. C. Stevens 
Formerly Principal of the Missionary Training Institute, 
Nyack, N. Y. 


Books 


THE BOOK OF DANIEL, 1915, Second Edition, 1918; Cloth, pp. 224, $1.35; 


postpaid. Dedicated to_the fifteen hundred students who passed under 
the author’s teaching at Nyack. Introduction by James M. Gray, Dean of 
Moody Institute. A book especially for this day of world-convulsion 
and of age-crisis. A judicious critic thus describes the author’s work: ‘‘His 
unfolding of the book is the book’s unfolding of itself.’’ 


THE UNIQUE HISTORICAL VALUE OF THE BOOK OF JONAH, 1924, 


Cloth, pp. 88, $1; postpaid, $1.10. Original in treatment. ‘‘Both satis- 
fying to the heart and illuminating to the mind. ... The development of the 
theme leads on to a worthy climax; and those who rejoice when Christ 1s 
exalted will find special satisfaction in the closing pages of the book.” (rom 
Philip Mauro’s ‘‘Foreword.’’) 


MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM, Revised Edition, 1915, 130 Pages; 


Cloth, 60c; Paper, 35c. Introduction by Lapsley A. McAfee, Pastor of First 
Presbyterian Church, Berkeley, Cal, Contains twelve chapters on as Many 
topics vitally related to Christ’s Second Coming, which are treated in what 
has been declared by many readers to be an unusually clear and happy way. 
“‘Tust what we need for young people,” writes one standing at the center of 
young people’s work in California. The first chapters are: I. The Sure Light 
of Prophecy. II. The Three Threes of Christ’s Coming. III. The Salva- 
tion Yet to Be Revealed. IV. Occupy Till I Come. V. The Bride of 
Christ in Parable. VI. Christ’s Conquest of the Sky. 


TRIUMPHS OF THE CROSS, Revised Edition, 1915, 100 Pages; Paper, 25c. 
Introductory notes by Max Wood Moorhead and by President Blanchard 
of Wheaton College. Treats of the “deeper lessons of the Cross.’’ It has 

roved to be ‘‘meat in due season’”’ to many. This little book, in terse and 
ucid manner, presents the triumphs of the Cross in relation successively 
to The Law, Regeneration, The World, Satan, Sickness, Cleansing, The 
Old Man, Suffering, The Body of Christ, The Perishing, The Kingdom, and 
Eternal Ages. 


WHY I REJECT THE “HELPING BAND” OF MILLENNIAL DAWN, Re- 
vised Edition, 1915, 132 Pages; Paper, 40c. Prefatory Testimonial by R. A. 
Torrey, Dean of Bible Institute of Los Angeles. This is the only book 
offered to the public which fully expounds, rather than merely declaring, 
the fatal errors of Millennial Dawn. Myr. Torrey says: ‘‘I consider it, taking 
it allin ali, as the most satisfactory reply to Pastor Russell and his vagaries 
that there is to put into the hand of the every-day Christian who has been 
at all troubled by the false teaching of Pastor Russell.” 


Add 5c. on the last three books when ordered by mail. 


Forthcoming: REVELATION THE CROWN-JEWEL OF BIBLICAL 
PROPHECY, In Three Volumes: 1. Old Testament Prophecy. If. New 
Testament Pre-Revelation Prophecy. III. The Book of Revelation. 
The object of this work is to unfold all Biblical prophecy as the organizing 
factor of Scriptural revelation and in sufficient fulness from the beginning 
through to have its climax in the book of Revelation readily comprehensible. 
The intensive study of the book of Revelation will be after the manner 
of the author’s book on Daniel. 


Tracts 


ARRAIGNMENT OF MILLENNIAL DAWN, a Booklet, 5c. This is the last 
chapter of the above book on Millennial Dawn, and it is intended for the 
widest circulation in disseminating the things proved by the exposition of 
the preceding chapters. 


PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST, 5c. Most highly commended by one 
versed in all prayer literature and in the secrets of prayer. 


THE GLORY OF ALL LANDS, 10c. A unique study of the Holy Land from 
Eden to earth’s final restoration, with a striking map of the tribal partition 
of the land in the millennium. 


THE BIOGRAPHY OF THE PRE-INCARNATE CHRIST, 10c. Finding 
in John 1, 1-18 a luminous and profound biography of the Son of God from 
eternity to incarnation. 


THE LORD’S DAY NOT THE SABBATH, 5c. Called ‘‘the best thing on 
the subject” by one whose name is well known today. A safeguard against 
Sabbatarianism. 

SANCTIFICATION, 5c. Entirely independent and distinctive. Embraces 
and harmonizes the various, often conflicting, phrases and theories on a@ 
vital subject. 


THE INTERMEDIATE STATE, 3c. A clear Scriptural and philosophical 
exposition which leaves no room for soul-sleeping, annihilation, etc. 


THE FALLACY OF THE 2520 YEARS, 3c. Showing how groundless and 
harmful is the modern theory that the ‘‘seven times’’ measure 2520 years 
of the ‘‘Times of the Gentiles,” and that the time measurements of Daniel 
and Revelation are to be construed on the principle of “‘each day for a 
year.” Urgently needed today 


THE LATTER RAIN, 3c. Third edition, revised; very popular and widely 
distributed. Calling to expectation of increasing revival, demonstration 
of the Spirit and world-wide evangelization till Jesus comes. ’ 


JESUS, OUR HEALER, 3c. Third edition, revised; a clear presentation 
of the atonement for healing. Widely distributed and greatly used for many. 


THE LORD’S HEALING, 3c. Second edition, revised; clearly discriminat- 
ing Christ’s healing from all other cures, and very helpful to definite faith. 


HEALING IN THE NAME OF JESUS, 2c. Especially designed to explain 
the nature of this healing and the plan of its ministry. 


THE SALVATION OF THE BODY, 2c. Brings out in Scriptural importance 
the reserved salvation, ‘‘the redemption of our body,’’ and shows its relation 
to present supernatural healing. Much needed by all Christians. 


THE CROSS AND SICKNESS, 2c. Consists mainly of an exposition of Matt. 
8, 1-17, bringing forth the ground principles from this Magna Charta of 
divine healing. 

THE CROSS AND CLEANSING, 2c. An important chapter from ‘“Triumphs 
of the Cross,” of special help for seekers of heart purity. 


THE CROSS AND THE OLD MAN, 2c._ Also from ‘“Triumphs of the Cross,” 
clearing up perplexities regarding full deliverance through Christ. 


THE THREE THREES OF CHRIST’S SECOND COMING, 3c. Taken from 
‘‘Mysteries of the Kingdom.” Most useful for immediate illumination 
on the subject. 


Prices Per Dozen: 2c. Tracts, 20c.; 3c. Tracts, 30c. 
Add lc. for Postage on every one to three Tracts. 


Remit with orders to the Author: 
W. C. STEVENS, Midland Bible School, Shenandoah, Iowa. 


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